From Shadows
by GreyVanity
Summary: Blake thought that she had left Adam and the White Fang behind, buried them under her new life as a Huntress. But she was wrong. In one brutal assault, her world is thrown into chaos as she embarks on a quest for revenge and retribution where she will have to rise once again, From Shadows.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Everyone,**

**I always wanted to know more about Adam ever since I saw him in the trailer. As the series went on however, we never heard much about him.**

**Well, I got tired of waiting so I just had to write a story for myself. This is set after where the series ended.**

**Enjoy,**

* * *

**ACT I**

'It's time…'

'Okay…'

She followed him, perhaps for the last time.

The wind was blowing that day. She knew because it carried with it the scattered, forest petals painted scarlet – but that wasn't the main reason. The girl remembered the man's back, standing tall and unfaltering against the breeze. She had looked at the same back so many times before. His coat whipped this way and that but he never budged. It was a black visage, tattooed with tangled roses which glinted and gleamed with a thorny, venomous anger that poked straight through you. He never looked back at her, he always looked forward. Sword in hand, without any other words, he leapt forward through the trees, disappearing from sight.

The girl clenched her fist, her legs moving to follow him. Her heart however, wanted to run. She wanted to run away from all this, from what they had become, what she had become, what he had become.

She was afraid.

Whenever the thought entered her head she saw only his face, the porcelain mask gazing back emotionlessly at her – into her soul.

It never let go, holding her, wrapping its deathly fingers around her neck until she could struggle no more before dragging her into the dark…

Xxx

Blake woke with a start, panting heavily in desperate, ragged gasps. The moonlight poured in through the window, its serene luminescence touching the floorboards and scattering around the room in a thin haze so that she could only just make out the details of wardrobes and bedframes.

There was a creak of wood from beneath her as Yang shuffled in her bed. She could imagine the blonde clutching her pillow on the bottom bunk, a dorkish smile plastered on her face as she mumbled to herself in her sleep.

The other two were silent, their breaths rhythmic and relaxed. Blake spent a second looking at their peaceful faces. No doubt they enjoyed brighter dreams. The black-haired girl lay back on her bed, resting her head against the pillow. She tried to fall back asleep, but Adam's face was still etched into her mind. It was the same face he wore the last time she saw him, when she drew away on one carriage whilst he faded into the distance on the other. He didn't say anything, he only watched, the slits of his mask boring into her before, mercifully, she lost him in the red wash.

Blake pushed herself up from the mattress, leaping over the edge and landing on the floorboards with only a light tap. She grabbed her school blazer from the hanger beside her bunk, wrapping it around her shoulders before she inched the door open and slipped quietly outside.

Beacon was a large school with several wings circling a tall central tower which scraped against the sky. The new moon hung low tonight, nesting lazily upon the spire tip. It threw its glow upon the academy, painting it in an ethereal silver-blue. It didn't make much of a difference for Blake though. She was a faunus, her golden eyes were well suited for the dark, piercing through the murkiness even in the deadest of nights. However she preferred the glow. The moonlight settled on the academy building with such serenity that she wished it would never leave its perch, wrapped in its blanket of stars.

Footsteps sounded behind her, light and refined. She didn't even have to look to know that Weiss approached her, her hair hanging loose in the night, catching the moon's beams. She wore her nightgown as well with her blazer wrapped around her.

'You know you probably shouldn't go off sneaking like this during night, people tend to think you're up to no good.'

'Let them think that. It doesn't bother me if it isn't true.' She saw Weiss reach her side, stopping and taking in the moonlit spire before them.

'Can't get to sleep?'

'I was just feeling a bit restless,' Blake replied.

'Has that monkey taken a hold of you?' said Weiss. She had caught Blake off guard, causing the normally cool girl to stammer out a clumsy response.

'N-no.' Sun's brash playfulness and crude presence had irked her since they had returned but right now, she had a completely different man in her head, for completely different reasons.

'Well then,' said Weiss. She had gone back to her familiar snobbish tone, 'if you're feeling guilty about all those things your friends in the White Fang have done you should know that they deserve what's coming to them. Your race or not, they are still just common criminals who rob and pillage and kill.'

Blake's eyes flared up for a brief moment, 'you don't understand!'

Her voice rang out, skipping against the smooth stone path with its crack. She saw Weiss step back in surprise, eyes widened at the Faunus girl's sudden outburst. She held herself back, swallowing the words that she so desperately wanted to say.

'Hey, are you okay Blake?' asked Weiss, breaking the silence.

The black-haired girl bit her lip before turning away.

'I'm fine,' she said before storming off.

Her feet slapped jarringly against the stone path. She didn't bother concealing her footsteps, she was too busy being angry. Sometimes Weiss said the most insensitive things without thinking. Blake let her breath out slowly, relaxing the frustration that she had pent up. She could understand, if only slightly, the silver-haired girl. Born into the Schnee family, she had been raised believing her name was supreme. But that arrogance didn't come from nothing; she saw how hard Weiss worked, how she never allowed herself to be beaten by anyone, how she constantly toiled, just to prove her beliefs. Like Blake, their births had given them hard lives.

But regardless, Blake refused to let anyone slander the White Fang. They hadn't been there, Weiss hadn't been there. She knew what it was like to grow up with nothing, to beg and steal enough mould-ridden bread just to survive each passing day. Every night, she had looked up at the sky and saw the same moon that stared back at her now, wishing, praying that things would change.

And they had.

She was a huntress now, studying at Beacon to hunt the Grimm and protect the weak. No longer would she fight in the shadows. No longer would she lurk in darkness. She would help her race properly.

But she could never forget her past.

It gripped her, stalked her like her own shadow. She would forget for a time, but the memories would always resurface, threatening to consume her, leave a blackened husk behind.

But what scared her most was that porcelain mask.

No matter how many times she tried to shake it out, it was always there, staring, glaring, from the shadows.

Xxx

Roman Torchwick tapped his fingers on the desk. They were late. He didn't like it when people were late. He pulled his pocket watch from his coat by the chain, the lid popping open with a press of his finger upon the latch.

_Ten past six._

The lid snapped shut, the crack of sound bouncing across the room. He sat at a table in the centre. Two other chairs faced him, their occupants weren't present.

'I said six didn't I?' he asked. The question was directed behind him, to the two guards he had brought along. 'I believe so sir,' they replied, saying nothing more.

Roman let his brow furrow. He flicked his watch open again as he crossed his legs, resting them on the table whilst he folded his arms and muttered under his breath.

_BANG!_

One of the doors to the room burst open violently, announcing an arrival. The seated man watched as two black-haired girls walked in, the tails and frills of their dresses dancing behind their backs as they entered the room. They were the Malachite twins. A plastic smile twisted their faces, a sinister expression that put Roman on edge. Another figure followed them in, shrouded in black. She glided past the door frame into view before approaching the table. Two glowing eyes stared at him from behind the veil of darkness, two hot coals that hissed and spat wherever they looked. Her name was Cinder, an adept of fire. Even now, Roman could feel the residual heat radiate from her body and ooze outwards, lapping the walls.

He turned to face the woman. 'You know, even if you're late you should still enter a room polite-'

Another bang sounded, the third and final door bursting from its hinges and slamming against the stone walls to their sides. Both Roman and the woman turned to face the new arrival. Their eyes narrowed as they saw the figure walk in. They could feel him as soon as he entered the room, a sweeping sensation that left them churning in the stomach. This was a man they both had to be careful of, the masked Taurus of the White Fang, Adam.

The man exuded presence. Whilst the woman gave off a more subtle and mysterious vibe, Adam gave off a pressure that forced to your knees, your head pressed down in dizzying reverence. Roman had dealt with him a couple times before but he could never get used to the feeling. He stole a glance at Cinder but her face gave nothing away.

The man walked into the room followed by two faunus who slinked through the door behind him. Their sharp eyes scanned the room as their leader reached the table, pulling out a chair with the scrape of stone and wood.

'I believe we're all here,' he said, 'let's get started.'

The man sat himself silently on the wooden seat, bending his back forward and resting his elbows on the table so that his hands grabbed one another before his masked face.

They watched Cinder sit herself down on the last seat, a hiss and a sizzle sounding as she touched the wood, crossing her legs beneath the table.

'I agree,' she said.

Roman tucked his watch back into his pocket, snapping it shut with a sharp crack. 'Then let us begin,' he said.

He produced a roll of canvas from his side, pressing it out across the table. It was a map of Vytal, speckled with landmarks and taped with labels.

'I believe you all know the drive behind tonight's meeting?'

He paused as he examined the other two's faces. They kept stoic, their silence affirming their agreement.

'Very well, then let us move to the crux of the matter.'

He reached for a marker, snatching it from table top beside him. With a pop he flicked off the cap before leaning over to press it upon the page. In one motion he had marked a circle upon the surface, moving back for the other two to see.

In the middle was a single dot but tailing it was a word they all knew well.

'Well, ladies and gentlemen,' said Roman, 'Let us prepare to take Beacon.'

* * *

**Please let me know your thoughts! If you liked/didn't like it, leave a review or PM me.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading!**

**Grey**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone!**

**Grey here with Chapter 2. There were a couple of things I was experimenting with here. Sorry if it feels a little loose at some parts.**

**Other than that, Uni has just started back for me so I might be slow for future updates.**

**But we're not here to listen to my excuses.**

**Without further ado, Chapter 2!**

* * *

Peter Port wasn't a boring man, what he talked about was boring.

However, Blake didn't mind that. She found herself drifting off in thought, crutching her cheek on her palm as she gazed out the window. Sometimes, mercifully, her drowsiness would catch up to her and she would fall into greener meadows.

Today was such a day. Her recent nightmares had kept waking her in the dead of night and they had added up. She found herself scratching her eyes in the morning and yawning by the time they reached the first class. Amidst the rhythmic lull of Mr Port's lecture all she had to do was rest her head upon the cool table surface before she fell asleep.

She was running in a forest of red. Leaves scattered with each footfall as she darted through the tangle of tree trunks. She was running away, away from him.

A black mass followed her. It bulged out, swallowing up the forest before it. On its face, the porcelain mask glared down at her. The black bulge twisted it until it formed a harlequin smile. Blake ran faster, pushing her legs harder and harder until they ground and rattled.

The blackness called out to her.

'Blake…'

The girl kept running, breaths coming raggedly.

'Blake…'

She couldn't look back.

'Blake…'

Xxx

'Blake Belladonna!'

The sudden sound jolted her awake. She sat with her back arched as her wide eyes quickly took in the room around her. Peter Port was looking straight at her, face crinkled into a frown and foot tapping the ground impatiently.

'Miss Belladonna, if you are going to sleep in my class please just stay in bed.'

'I'm sorry!' the girl stammered back. The mark was still branded into her head. She tried to blink it out but it stayed, never leaving.

'Blake, are you okay?'

Ruby was next to her. She bent towards her, worried eyes glimmering.

'Yes, yes I am.'

'You know, you haven't been yourself lately…'

'I'm fine!'

She had barked those last words. All the heads in the class whipped around to face them. Out of the corner of her eye she could spot Jaune's shocked expression sitting by Pyrrha's concerned face.

'Blake, could you come with me?'

The voice had taken her by surprise. She whipped her head around to see Ozpin's shaded head and round spectacles facing her. He stood against the classroom door, his usual coffee mug in his hand and molded, placid expression across his face.

'Yes sir,' said the girl.

She pushed herself out of the seat, the legs scraping against the wooden flooring. Every pair of eyes watched her back as she descended the side stairway and reached the greying professor.

The man opened the door, motioning for her through it. He followed after her when she passed the frame, the door slamming shut behind them.

Xxx

The two walked for a fair time before either of them said anything. Blake followed the professor as he paced through the open corridors. Tall arches spanned the left side, the sunlight filtering down onto the paved stone in a grated mosaic. It was autumn now, fall. The sprinkling tree leaves had lost their energy, gliding down in drooped shapes.

Ozpin stopped, his last footfall tapping against the stone so that it bounced off the walls and scattered.

'You don't seem to be yourself lately Blake,' he said.

'Really?'

'Really.'

The man turned to face her, taking a sip from his cup. He held his other hand behind his back like he usually did.

'Is there something bothering you?'

'I'm fine,' replied Blake. It was the same answer that she'd given to everyone else who asked. The only difference this time, was that Ozpin wasn't satisfied.

'You're fooling no one Blake.'

He looked into the girl's golden eyes, trying to gleam from them what details he could. Blake had to look away, their intensity too piercing.

'I'm not trying to.'

They stood facing each other for a few long moments. A breeze swept through the archways, whipping the fallen leaves into a rattling march.

Ozpin shook his head at the ground, letting a sigh escape his lips. He turned to face the greenery outside, taking another sip from his mug.

'You know, there was a time where one of my friends was under stress.'

Blake listened stubbornly, pointing her gaze in the other direction from the man.

'We had just accomplished a great feat, but we had lost many a comrade in the process. We didn't have time to rest though, our superiors wanted us to go on more missions straight away. One of us couldn't handle it.'

He paused as he let his gaze wander, eventually settling on a particular stone in the path.

'We had all felt it, we tried to comfort him, to console him, but he always ran away from out attempts. We let him be for a time. We continued our missions and as our achievements piled up, so did the body count. Eventually our friend began spending extended periods in his room. Whenever we saw him, his eyes were puffy and red.'

He paused.

'What happened?' asked Blake. She had said it without thinking.

Ozpin let a pained smile touch his lips, the only expression that Blake had ever seen him let upon his face.

'He left, I haven't seen him since. Even now I wonder how he's doing, what he gets up to but, the thing I feel most is regret. It is the regret that I couldn't help him.'

He turned to face Blake.

'I vowed to myself never to make that mistake again. No matter how much someone pulls away from me, I will always follow. Never again, will I let someone I treasure fall into despair and darkness.'

Blake felt her brow quiver. She wasn't the type to go prattling about her own problems to another person but Ozpin's hard stare held her. It looked straight into the depths of her heart, pinning her down so that she couldn't run until she confessed. She felt the quivering of her lip, it had just started. Frantically, she tried to throw her head to the side, focusing on a pale patch of grass but it was no use. She relented.

'Lately, I-I've been having these dreams.'

She swallowed painfully, feeling the pressure pressing down on her chest.

'It's someone I used to know, he keeps chasing me.'

She hadn't told Ozpin about the White Fang yet, she hadn't even revealed the fact that she was a faunus. However, something about Ozpin's expression led Blake to believe that he knew.

Ozpin took another sip from his cup as he listened.

'I don't know how to make it stop. It wakes me in the night, I get so scared.'

'Is that all?' said the professor.

It seemed that nothing got past the man. Blake grabbed her arm, biting her lip.

'What if,' she said. 'What if some you knew had a secret, and you found out that secret. Would you look at them the same way?'

Ozpin paused, closing his eyes as he thought of his answer. He took a deep breath out, slowly opening his eye lids until he looked at the girl with a gentler expression.

'No, I wouldn't.'

He saw the disappointment which threatened to break out upon the girl's face.

'But I wouldn't care. No matter how I looked, I was looking at the true them and I feel that is the most important thing.'

Blake looked at the man behind trembling eyes. She hadn't cried since her days in the White Fang but now her tears threatened to break their fixtures.

'And besides, after knowing your friends for so long, do you really think them fickle enough to hate you for who you are?'

The girl felt a smile tug at her lips. Half sobbing, half laughing, she mouthed a single word.

'No.'

The professor nodded. He took one last sip from his mug before he turned to move away.

'I believe there are no more pressing issues Miss Belladonna?' he said behind his back.

He heard the girl shake her head, before walking off.

Blake watched as the professor rounded the corner, footsteps disappearing soon after the tails of his coat whipped around the column. She let herself take a deep breath, feeling the tension lifting from her chest. Then with a swift twirl, she sprung back down the corridor back towards class.

Xxx

The professor's brow creased as he rounded the corner. He knew about Blake's past, of course, and it worried him. Faunus possessed sharper instincts than most men, often 'feeling' things before they happened. Considering that, Blake's nightmares could have been a premonition, a shadow of dread that manifested itself in her sleep.

In any case, he should be careful.

He looked out at the clear sky outside. The Beacon spire stood proud against the blue, puffing out its chest for the word to see.

The professor however, could only hope that Blake's nightmares remained just that, nightmares. He wished for nothing more than to keep the peace that Vytal had experienced for decades, the peace that he and his comrades had worked so hard for. But he knew better than everyone that it couldn't last. The White Fang were getting violent and dust was being raided and looted from every corner of the country. Conflict was brewing, and it wasn't going to stop.

'Queen has pawns…' he muttered to himself.

The professor moved his hand to his face, adjusting his spectacles with his second and third digits. He would have to double the security on Beacon's vault. He couldn't risk letting anyone open it, not now.

Xxx

'And so I gave the sucker a solid rocket to the face!' Yang followed the words with a punch, striking a cool pose as the others watched.

It was lunch now, the morning's classes ending for the day as the students spilled out on the open courtyards and grassy fields of Beacon. Team RWBY and JNPR did their usual thing, hanging out together by the fountain as the lazy splash of water dribbled on behind them.

Pyrrha let out a giggle, a tame reaction compared to Nora who whipped her head back and let out an unladylike guffaw.

'What idiot falls for 'let's kiss and make up'?' she said in between gasps.

Blake let a smile touch her face, shaking her head at the ground at the blonde's story.

'Nice to see you've cheered up Blake,' said Ruby. She sat on the fountain's stone railing, swinging her legs cheerfully.

'Yeah, Ozpin gave me a few wise words.'

'It doesn't matter if you're feeling down, big sister Yang will cheer you up!'

The blonde threw her arms over their shoulders, grabbing the two girls in a wide hug. She drew them in close, a wide grin upon her face.

Ruby laughed happily alongside her.

'Yeah, go Team RWBY! Wooo!' she cheered, sending her little fist into the air.

The commotion had died down now. The group had broken into their own smaller conversations now, Pyrrha taking up a seat by Jaune as she began to lecture him on combat. Their 'lessons' had gone on for some time now. Everyday, the warrior girl would talk him through all the principles and theory and at night she would put everything to practice. Blake noticed how much effort the girl put into the blonde's training. She sometimes heard her scribbling down notes and muttering to herself in the dark during her midnight walks. I was quickly becoming obvious how she felt about him.

But Blake kept that to herself. She found a small pleasure in just looking on, seeing how things turned out. She threw her head back to look at the clear sky. She loved her life here. Here she could study alongside children her age. She had a place to live, food on her plate and most importantly, friends who walked with her.

They would share good times and tough times together but they all would always be there for each other. There was nothing more Blake wanted. She wished that things would stay like this forever.

'Hey, what's that?'

Weiss had stood up from her position by the fountain, squinting her eyes and pointing to some point in the distance. The others broke their conversations, spinning around to look at what the silver-haired girl was pointing at.

'I can't see anything,' said Jaune, sheltering his eyes from the sun with his hand.

Blake however, had heard it before she wheeled her head around to look. It was a truncated sort of humming, like the fast beat of a base drum. Her golden eyes searched the blue of the sky. She found it a few seconds later, using both her ears and eyes to hone in on the object. It was a blur of black in the distance, like many dots crammed into a single point.

'Strange,' said Weiss, 'I thought that Beacon's airspace was restricted only to the school's airships. There's nothing on today that we'd need them for.'

The others had begun to spot the blur now, their eyes squinting to get a cleared image.

'Maybe it's a surprise field trip?' said Ruby.

'What kind of field trip uses so many ships?' replied Yang, frowning.

The blur had gotten close enough for the others to pick out the many little specks which were littered against the blue wash.

The sound had gotten louder now, a cacophonous drumming.

'Those look like…' Weiss paused as she tried to get a better look, '…heli-carriers.'

Blake felt her throat tighten as she too made out the spinning blades and winged frames of the vehicles. As they neared, she also made out the grey painted body and black tipped wings. They were the same as the ones that night when Sun and her staked out, Bullheads.

'Everyone should get back,' she said.

She moved her hand instinctively to her back where she usually kept her sword. It grabbed at hollow air however, the student having left it back in the dorm beside her bed. She quickly flicked a glance over at the others, they had the same problem.

'What should we do?' said Jaune. His jaw was shaking as he said that, eyes nervous darting left and right.

'Calm down,' said Pyrrha, 'It will not ease the situation if we panic.'

'But those are Bullheads! They belong to those guys who attacked during the festival!'

It took only a brief moment before Yang collected herself, slamming her fists together at the head of the group.

'There's no time to hesitate, let's get ready to fight.'

Xxx

Blake flew down the corridors, feet hardly making a sound. The others were close behind. Sometime after they had left the courtyard, the academy's siren had began to ring, blasting into the air. It was a blaring sound that attacked their ears.

She took the next left, tearing down the next straight into the dorms. She slowed down before hitting the door, using her momentum to fling it open in one smooth motion. Ren was the next in, running past Blake and darting into JNPR's suite on the left. The rest of them barged through the choke, streaming in and filtering into their respective rooms. Blake entered their room, leaping over the mess on the floor reaching her drawer. She clicked her tongue as she opened the door.

_Was there time to change? She could move decently well in the uniform. How would her weapon belt fit over her blazer?_

She flicked a glance over at the other girls. They had all reached the room now, hopping over to their respective closets. Ruby had quickly grabbed her scythe from its case. Beside her, Yang had put on her gauntlets, slamming the door shut. She was going to stay as she was.

Blake turned back to what she was doing. She reached into the bottom of her closet, taking the belt and preparing to fasten it around her chest.

The siren was still blaring but the girl had heard something else, a high-pitched whine which rose in intensity each passing second. Her brow furrowed, trying to pick out what it was. Her eyes widened however, when she picked it. A missile…

'Get down!'

Xxx

The blackness enveloped her, took her in again. She closed her eyes, feeling the vertigo subside as she sank ever lower into the depths. She had experienced this before, the crushing darkness of a harsh life.

'Do you want freedom?'

The young girl looked up, tired eyes dragging their gaze to the speaker. It was a man, his red mane of hair tucked back alongside the tips of his horns.

'Do you want liberation?'

The girl squinted now, honing in on his face. With each second she made out more and more; the sharpness of his chin; the shaded, lower ridge of his eye socket; the way his forehead jutted out at the thin line of his brow.

'Do you want revenge?'

The girl blinked as the blur faded away. Two piercing eyes glinted from behind the haze and, as it subsided, shot straight through her. She would never forget their look. They were filled with a passion she had never seen before, a passion that made her think that maybe, maybe this man could make a difference.

'Follow me.'

He reached out his hand. She reached out hers. They drew closer, the tips of their fingers almost touching.

'BLAKE!'

A hiss and a jab. The figure in front of her shattered, fading into mist. The blackness rushed in to fill the gap. She spun around, panicking, and saw it.

The porcelain mask watched her, dark slits grinning. She watched as the space around it burst into flame, cradling it with its slender, orange fingers. It morphed into the visage of him, his back turned to her. She saw the flames wind into the two twisted roses, fading into his coat. The metal of his sword caught the glint of the flames.

However, it was slippery with blood.

Blake didn't know whose it was, but some part of her body did. She found herself screaming out, falling to her knees. She could only stare at that mask, eyes wide and breath ragged, as it slowly turned to face her.

'Blake…'

Xxx

'Blake!'

The girl's eyes shot open. Her first instinct was to jump to her feet but as soon as she moved her back, her side burst into pain causing her to topple over awkwardly and hit the ground again. Her heart had calmed a bit, its drumming dying down. It was replaced with a savage roar, the heat finally getting to her head. She flicked her head from left to right, taking in her surroundings. Blasted debris lay broken and strewn about. The flames licked at these pieces, crackling with loud pops and snaps. Smoke billowed from their wounds, clouding the sky in a toxic smog.

'Thank god you're up!'

Ruby lay beside her, her eyes teary. The tips of her obsidian hair were singed and a bit of ash painted her face, mixed with the fresh tears which spilled down her face.

'We have to go!'

Yang stood a few metres from her. Over her shoulder, she held Weiss who was bleeding from her temple. She was panting heavily, the shock beginning to set in.

She began to limp with the girl over the pile of rubble and towards the outside.

'Let's go,' said Ruby. She offered her hand to Blake, helping her to her feet. The girl winced as the cut in her side flared up but she bit her lip, clenching through the pain. With Ruby's assistance, she laboured over the pile of rubble, moving towards the light.

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, they limped on.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**As always, please leave a review if you liked/disliked it. That should account for all of you guys right?**

**See you soon,**

**Grey**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello Everyone,**

**It took a little while but I managed to finish up one more chapter. Probably going to wait until after mid sem exams before posting another.**

**But you're not here for excuses.**

**Here's chapter 3, Enjoy.**

* * *

'Hold on, I'll go find some bandages.'

Ruby had said that as soon as they cleared the blast zone. Hurriedly, she had hopped off by herself, launching straight into the blanket of smoke which swallowed her, the scarlet tail of her cloak slipping into the blackness.

Blake laid herself against a pillar, gently cradling her side. They seemed to have come out into the corridor, the pylons lined up in field dress all the way down alongside it. By the next one over, Yang laid Weiss down, her hand held to her head. Her eyes were glazed over, still wide from the shock but slowly, her trembling started to die down, her ragged breaths slowing.

'It's okay,' said Yang.

She knelt in front of the girl, cupping her cheeks with her gauntleted hands.

'Everything's okay.'

The ground rumbled, loosening a stream of dust from above. Distant shouts could be heard, their anguished cries swirling into a panicked dissonance.

'It seems that they attacked other parts as well,' Blake panted.

She scrunched up her face at those words, her side exploding in pain.

'Don't talk, you'll make it worse,' snapped Yang.

They waited for a while, Yang sitting herself down between the both of them. She whispered softly to Weiss, holding her close. Blake heard her breathing stabilise, breathing a sigh of relief herself when the girl managed to croak a dry, 'I'm fine.'

The blonde turned her attention to Blake now, face worried.

'Are you okay?'

Blake managed a dry chuckle, she'd heard that a lot recently.

'Yeah, I should be when Ruby gets back with the bandages.'

'There were first aid kits in the storeroom, she shouldn't be long,' Yang replied.

She moved closer, 'Let me see the wound.'

Blake moved aside her hands, pressed against her left waist. Her eyes widened slightly as they came into her view, painted red.

'It's just a heavy scrape. A bit of skin's missing and it's a bit charred but it's not a cut,' said Yang.

'Stings like hell though…' Blake mumbled.

'Should be fine with some cream.'

They heard a small patter in the distance, a sharp tapping that got louder and louder until Ruby burst back out from the smoke. She held her left arm over her mouth, trying to keep out the smoke, her right threaded into the handles of two red packs.

'I got some kits,' she said, jogging up to them, 'I also saw Jaune and the others, they're on the other side.'

'We should regroup…' said Blake before the pain caught up with her again.

She must have bruised her insides in the explosion. There was perhaps some internal bleeding, maybe a rib fracture.

'Before that, we need to get you all patched up. Pass me a kit sis.'

Ruby flung one of the packs over to the blonde who caught it with one hand. She then knelt by Blake, furiously working the zipper on the other one.

'Where does it hurt Blake?'

'My left side.'

She watched as the girl pulled hard on the zipper, almost ripping it off the bag. She then fiddled around with the contents for a bit before getting impatient and dumping everything out on the floor.

She spotted the bandages instantly, swiping the roll almost before it hit the ground.

'I'll need you to hold your breath,' she said, unwinding the tape.

Blake watched as her shaky fingers worked, almost dropping the roll a few times.

'Ruby, the disinfectant,' said Yang from behind her.

She had already wrapped Weiss' head with a few thick rounds of tape but the blood had already begun to seep through. They appeared in splotches, stemming out to all sides.

'Right, the disinfectant.'

Ruby quickly rummaged through the junk on the ground, looking for a tube or a bottle. She bit her lip, the brow creased with worry. The shaking in her hands intensified the longer she looked.

'Calm down Ruby,' said Yang, 'you'll take longer if you panic.'

'I know, but Blake's in trouble and I…'

'Don't worry, I'm fine,' said the Faunus girl, 'just take your time.'

'But, but…'

'Ruby!'

Yang's voice cut through the smouldering and crackling of the embers.

The young girl gave a frightened look towards the blonde.

'A leader shouldn't panic in front of their team when they haven't.'

A quiet moment passed, filled only with the odd snap of hot timber as it glowed an angry orange. They all watched as Ruby took a deep breath, the trembling of her hands dying down as she closed her eyes for a few seconds.

'You're right.'

Then she snapped back into motion, snatching the bottle of disinfectant and a tube of burn cream from the pile of litter and twisting off the cap.

'I need you to move your arms Blake.'

Blake obeyed, lifting up her elbow to reveal her wound, red and raw.

'This may sting,' she said, dabbing the top of the bottle on her hand, letting cool liquid coat it..

She pressed it against the injury, rubbing it out across the entire damaged area. It stung like a whiplash, forcing the Blake to shy away and scrunch up her face.

'Are you okay?'

The black-haired girl gathered herself, clenching her fists, 'Yes.'

Ruby dabbed at the wound again. Blake gritted her teeth, biting through the pain. It lasted for an agonising few seconds before Ruby reached for the burn cream. All the while, the wound continued to throb and pulse with pain.

Ruby finished off the dressing with the cream and multiple tight loops of bandages. She sighed when she finished, leaning back.

'Thank's Ruby,' said Blake.

They sat for a while, collecting their thoughts. The rhythmic crackling of embers droned on, interrupted only by the occasional, rattling groan of timber as a foundation beam toppled somewhere in the debris.

'How did they get so close unnoticed? Isn't Beacon airspace tightly monitored?' said a weak voice.

It was Weiss. She was still raspy, her throat dry from the smoke and scalding air, but she seemed to have recovered enough to talk.

'I dunno,' Yang replied, 'I thought so too...'

A siren blast suddenly tore through the billowing smoke, assaulting their ears.

'Attention all students, please evacuate to the great court. Listen to all instructions by the teachers. Repeat, attention all students…'

The message went on for a minute, parroting the same words over and over again. Slowly, Blake forced herself to her feet, threatening to collapse through the effort. Ruby and Yang both stepped in to help, holding her until she stood on two wobbly legs.

'Are you sure you can walk? Maybe we should rest?'

'No,' said Blake, 'we should regroup with the others, we need to get to the great court.'

She began to pace from left to right, wincing slightly with each step. After a while though, she had begun to get used to the pain, learning how to keep the weight off her side.

'Can Weiss move?' she asked, turning back to the group.

'I'm fine now, just a bit dizzy,' the girl replied.

She also dragged herself to her feet, shuffling into position beside Blake.

'No way am I going to be dead weight.'

The girl took a deep breath, feeling the fiery breeze nick and flick at her skin.

'Besides, you guys want to see if everyone's okay, don't you? We're not going to do that by sitting around here.'

She began to limp off, stubbornly trying to hide her nausea. Blake quickly moved to her, throwing her scratched arm over her shoulder.

'We'll go together,' she said, 'All of us.'

Xxx

The bullhead slapped at the air, smacking out sound in sloppy claps. Roman sat in the passenger seat, pocket watch in hand.

'She's late, again.'

He muttered darkly to himself, snapping the lid shut before flicking it open again, hoping that the hands hadn't moved. He knew they would however, and with every ticking second, he creased his brow further.

They were attacking Beacon, the most prestigious school in the entire continent. Filled to the brim with talent, both student and teacher alike, a few dozen bullheads filled with borrowed footmen wouldn't last long. They had each emptied a single dust-primed missile into the complex, hoping that the destruction would slow down defence efforts but already, he could see black dots hopping about, no doubt trying to regroup for an attack. The majority of the bullheads had landed already, their occupants streaming out to take the facility. They would have only a few more minutes before the fighting erupted.

He clicked his tongue. Perhaps, if it had only been the students, he would have been able to deal with them. He might lose a half of his men but they'd be able to do it. The problem lied, therefore, in a select few.

They were Glynda, Qrow and Ozpin.

Reports had indicated that Qrow was away. Cinder could also deal with Glynda. The last hurdle, was Ozpin.

That man was dangerous.

He'd heard the stories and Cinder had warned him enough to last a lifetime. The man had the cunning of a wolf and the cold brutality of a demon. If given the chance, he would be able to single-handedly destroy their operation.

Therefore, the problem became that of how to avoid the grey-haired devil.

He snapped the lid shut, the sound ringing out across the cockpit. The pilot beside him glanced quickly in his direction but Roman waved him off.

'Just focus on flying,' he said, 'start heading us in closer.'

He then began muttering to himself again, 'come on you wicked witch. Where are you…?'

A flare of fiery orange blasted out from the far side of the school, the flash of light forcing both him and the pilot to look away. A second later, the sound hit them, a booming roar that shook the metal of the Bullhead. The shockwave passed by, the sudden whip of air throwing the vehicle in a dizzying dance in the sky before the pilot, with a grunt and a mighty heave, pulled it back straight again.

'Wow,' said Roman to himself, 'took your bloody time.'

He then began barking at the pilot beside him.

'That's the cue! Get us down there immediately!' He shoved the pocket watch back into his pants before straightening his hat. With a small huff he got up from the seat, quickly adjusting to the movement of the vehicle before setting off towards the back chamber.

A dark chuckle left his lips as he picked his cane from the compartment behind his seat. It had taken a little longer than expected, but everything was going according to plan.

Xxx

Ozpin clicked his tongue, eyes narrowing as the most recent explosion shook the walls of the corridor. He quickened his pace, leather shoes and hard soles tapping furiously against the smooth tiles of the walkway in a staccato beat.

They had gotten him good.

The radar system had been shut down, letting the bullheads into their airspace. How it was done, he was not sure, but he knew that it could only be deactivated from the inside. The greying man gritted his teeth, they had snuck people into the campus for sure.

His first thought after that had been, who was responsible? When he saw the bullheads he knew immediately. Ruby's report after the Vale incident had mentioned them. It seemed that Roman Torchwick had some hand in this operation. He wasn't surprised, with that man's skills he could have pulled off this attack.

But if it was only Roman, Ozpin wouldn't have been as worried as he was now. The man was a good fighter, but not great. Glynda could probably take him by herself along with whoever else he had brought along. The both of them working together would have cleaned everything up within the hour. Then the last explosion happened.

He'd recognise those flames anywhere. Cinder Fall was here.

It had come in the direction of the Dust Vault, Beacon's almost limitless stockpile. Ozpin ran the facts in his head. He knew about the countless dust robberies that had occurred recently, robberies coordinated by none other than Roman Torchwick himself. If he considered the fact that Roman and Cinder were working together then, then this was a large-scale raid for dust. If the dust in the stockpile were to fall into the hands of people like them- he wouldn't be able to prepare himself for the consequences.

The corridor opened out in front of him. Ozpin paused as he was met with a blanket of smoke which rushed out from the explosion zone. It was a thick, acrid smell, a taloned claw which forced its way down your throat and threatened to tear out your insides.

His eyes watered as he tried to blink out the soot. The shockwave of the explosion had thrown the academy under a rain of hot ash. It drifted lazily in the air, a toxic quilt whose deathly threads seeped into every nook and cranny. Holding his sleeve against his mouth, he began to push into the scorching blackness. There was no time for hesitation, no time for weakness. His students needed him.

He took one last, desperate gulp or fresher air before he ducked his head down, plunging straight into the smoke.

Xxx

They had only just arrived at the great court before the explosion shook the ground.

'What was that?' said Yang, turning to face the glowing plume of smoke that stretched out and touched the sky.

The shock wave hit them right after, a blistering wind smothering them with acid smoke and scorching embers as it blew over to the west. Blake sputtered, having taken a mouthful of the toxic air from the shock. She could feel it singeing the insides of the throat as she coughed. She still supported Weiss over her shoulder. The girl coughed a few times as well to clear out the ash but she seemed to have avoided the worst of it.

The dark wind blew over them, the air over the courtyard settling. Flakes of embers drifted about in an ashen snowfall. Some of them had settled in the fountain, staining the water with an inky black.

'Yang, was that you?'

Blake's ears pricked up, recognising the voice. The blonde seemed to have as well.

'Jaune! It's me!'

Her narrowed eyes sought the boy in the haze, finding him a few seconds later waving his arms about on the other side of the courtyard.

'We should get over there,' she said, turning back to the group.

Sharp footsteps could be heard as Ruby advanced to the front of the group.

'Follow me everyone!'

Blake saw the other members of RWBY shuffle on forward, following behind the girl with solemn gaits, before moving herself. The yard was strewn with other students. They stayed in their own groups, heads tucked into their knees and quiet. Sobbing came from one end, a stifled, convulsive sound that heaved out a lopsided rhythm. Blake tried to see who it was, but the haze of ash and dust that had blown over hung it's shadow upon them.

They picked their way through the maze of outstretched legs. The girls were able to get quick glances at their downcast faces as they moved. Some were in shock, still wide-eyed, shaking their heads in disbelief. Others lay back, eyes closed, trying to bite through the pain and heat.

JNPR was at the other side of the fountain.

'Is that everyone?' said Jaune, fraught with worry, 'I count four of you, that means everyone is here right? Oh Weiss! What happened to you?'

He spotted the bandage running around her head, stained red across her temple.

'I'm fine Jaune, I would be no Schnee if such a small injury managed to down me.'

'How is everyone else?' Yang asked, looking past the boy.

'Oh, Pyrrha's okay, so is Nora. Ren got a big banged up though. Nora's tending to him now.'

'I'm fine,' came a growl from the back.

Blake walked past Jaune, coming to the figures of Ren and Nora. The black haired boy sat on the chipped tiles, back against the fountain wall. He held a cloth to his right eye, closing the other one. Above him, Nora fiddled nervously with the bandages.

'Just hang on okay Ren?'

Her brow was furrowed, lip twitching as she stifled her quivering. She knelt over the boy, hunched over her knees as she messed with the bandages with wide eyes. To Blake, it was as if she was looking at a completely different person.

'Nora, are you okay?' said Blake, putting an arm on her shoulder.

She saw the amber head of hair snap her neck to face her, eyes still wide.

'Who is it?' she stammered, 'Oh it's you Blake. Nothing's wrong, no, nothing at all. I'm just gold old, goody me.'

'Did something happen?' Yang whispered to Jaune, watching the exchange.

'I don't know, we pulled Ren out of the rubble and she looked like she lost it. Frankly, I'm still shocked about her.'

Pyrrha approached the group, getting up from her position by the fountain.

'I think she's just worried about Ren. Those two always seemed… close.'

She paused before the last word, trying to describe her feeling. She had always wondered how the girl had so much energy. She was the one who bounced ahead of the group, telling crazy stories and weird jokes that no one seemed to get. To Pyrrha however, it always seemed as if the girl was hiding something, something beneath that smile of hers and her bubbly personality. Today, it seemed like all of them were about to find out what.

'Let me help,' said Blake, reaching for the roll in the girl's shaking hands.

As soon as her fingers brushed against the coarse curve of the bandage Nora cried out, yanking them away.

'No! Only I can help him, I have to help him…'

'Nora!'

It was Ren. He looked at the girl from his uncovered eye, the blood running down his other cheek.

'Listen to Blake,' he said, 'she wants help you.'

The girl responded to Ren's words, slowly loosening her wire-like grip on the roll.

Blake took it from the girl. Within a second she had stretched out a line of tape, quickly shuffling over in front of Ren.

'Let me see your eye.'

The boy nodded, lifting up his hand to that it dragged the loose strands of hair from his face. Blake was used to blood, but it was still hard to stomach Ren's wound. The left side of his skull seemed to have caved in. She could see the point where the object had come in and smashed it, leaving behind a mass of bruised flesh on the outer edge of his right eye socket. On the ridge of the brow, a large gash had set itself, oozing blood. Somewhere behind her, Blake felt Nora twist and squirm, as it the sight of the wound cut her to the very core.

'Can you still see?' Blake asked.

'Probably not, but I don't know. Right now, there's too much blood to even bother trying to find out.'

'Did you eye get hit?'

'Yeah. My skull took the brunt of it but it wasn't enough it seems.'

The girl began to work, running loops of the bandage over his head to cover his eye. After a few rounds she switched to running it around the head to cover the cut along the brow.

'I'm tying it,' she said, giving the man time to take a breath before pulling the ends tight into a thick knot. Using her teeth, she ripped the tape apart, letting the roll drop by her feet.

'Is that comfortable?' she asked.

'As comfortable as an injury could be.'

When Blake got up, letting a frantic Nora take her position in front of Ren, she saw that the others had taken seats by the fountain wall. They were mostly silent as they watched Blake work, their eyes following the girl as she approached them.

'Is everything all right?' asked Yang.

Blake nodded solemnly, 'I stopped the bleeding but his eye looked pretty bad…'

There was a clap of noise as Ruby stood suddenly, her fists clenched by her sides.

'Who could have done this?' she said, shaking.

'Those bullheads were the same ones in Vale,' said Blake, 'and they belonged to Roman Torchwick.'

'What does that creep want? How can anyone attack like this? We're just children!'

'Ruby…'

The little girl slapped down a few paces away from the group. She wiped her sleeve against her eyes, no doubt stifling tears.

'Let's get him, let's make him pay.'

'That wouldn't be smart, Ruby.' Weiss stood up from where she sat, approaching the girl.

'Roman isn't an idiot, he would never attack Beacon if he didn't have allies and a plan.'

'But…'

'But what!' Weiss stamped her foot on the ground.

'You are our leader Ruby, you need to be the one who keeps her cool even in the direst of situations. You need to gather your thoughts, think of a plan, and lead us. Ozpin said that you were the one most suited for it and I trusted him. But looking at you now just makes me wonder if I couldn't do a better job.'

'Weiss…'

'Be quiet Yang! Your sister needs to learn just what it takes to be a leader.'

The courtyard was quiet for a few moments, the cacophonous crackling of embers creating a sinister sonata. Yang brushed past Weiss, swooping Ruby up into a tight embrace.

'Don't worry sis, you can do it, I know you can.'

Weiss crossed her arms, scowl breaking out across her face as she turned away her gaze.

'You're right Weiss.'

Ruby hiccupped, rubbing her watery eyes as Yang released her embrace.

'Ozpin told everyone to gather here. We should work to help the others make it back.'

'Now that's more like it,' said Weiss.

She stepped forward, raising her voice to all of the students in the court.

'Everyone!' she said, 'We need to start helping the others to make it here. Does anyone want to help out?'

All she got was a few groans. The sobbing in the curtain of ash was still there.

'I don't think any of the others are in condition to move,' said Blake.

'Then we'll have to do it with the six of us.'

She paused, taking a moment to think.

'We should go in groups of two, just search for students in the rubble, then direct them here.'

The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

'Not so fast.'

Blake wheeled around, feline reflexes sensing the voice first. She saw the familiar bowler, the crisp white suit, the chiselled cane and the sweep of orange hair that filtered over jaded, green eyes.

Roman Torchwick's figure faded into view from the smoke. He chuckled darkly, twirling his cane a few times as the soles of his leather shoes struck the ground in hard slaps.

'I'm sorry, girls and guys, but I'll need you to stay put for a little while longer.'

The group tensed themselves, bending at the knees, ready.

'Oh hoh ho, no need to get flighty,' Roman said, raising his hands in defence.

'You've hurt a lot of my friends!' barked Ruby, 'You won't get any mercy.'

They watched as the man tutted to himself, shaking his head at the ground.

'You just don't get it,' he said, 'your school is in flames, your comrades are bleeding from half their orifices, and you think that your biggest goal is to take _me_ down?'

He let a grin stretch across his face as he stopped in front of the group, hand on his cane.

'But it's not like I wouldn't want to see you try.'

Those words, were the trigger.

Blake saw a flash of red whizz past right by her ear. In a second Ruby had launched forwards, scythe extending out behind her. She blasted forward, firing shot after shot to build momentum in a shower of shrapnel and sparks.

'Ruby, get back!' Yang screamed, arm extended as she tried to stop her.

It was no use however, as the girl blazed on past.

Roman chuckled to himself. He raised his cane, preparing to fire.

'Bring it on guys.'

Xxx

'Oz, how nice of you to join us.'

The professor's steps rapped sharply against the cold stone as he approached the Dust Vault. The ground was torn in places, pockmarked with craters and chips. In front of him, Cinder stood, a dark shroud enveloping her body and flames licking at her fingers. Her eyes glowed a feline's yellow, two pools of swirling gold that pierced you.

'I thought you would miss the good part,' she said, mouth twisting into a smile.

She indicated with her hand in front of her. Ozpin didn't even have to follow the gesture to know what she was talking about. Glynda lay on her knees a few metres from the woman, blood gushing from her side and breath light and patchy.

'I'm sorry headmaster,' she sputtered, 'I was outmatched.'

A sly laugh slipped out from Cinder lips, a shadowy noise that dripped with venom.

'Don't worry dear, you did well. Not many people could say that they stood toe to toe with me...'she leaned in close, pulling up Glynda's chin so that she could look her in the eye.

'for a few minutes only, that is.'

'Get away from her.'

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't suppress his anger. It leaked into his tone, a coiled snake ready to spring.

'Oh don't be like that Oz, it's not like this woman means anything to you, does she?'

'I said, get away from her.'

He tapped his cane against the ground with such force that the shockwave cleared the ash in the area.

Cinder chuckled, 'and if I don't?'

A flurry of motion shot towards her, snapping forward like a slingshot. Cinder let go of the woman, practically throwing her aside as she moved to dodge the razor sharp slash aimed at her throat. He appeared in front of her, whizzing into existence with the tip of his cane a few centimetres from her slender neck. His expression was dark, his face twisted.

He muttered to the scrunched up form of Glynda on the ground.

'Get out of here.'

Cinder, meanwhile, giggled venomously.

'You were always so quick to act back then, it seems that you never managed to shake off that habit,' she mocked.

Ozpin flashed a murderous gaze at the woman, a venomous look that held her for a second. She had seen the man fight in the past. If he had even half the prowess that he possessed back then, she was in trouble.

The man twirled his cane once before letting it rest on the floor again. She had to be careful of the weapon. On its own, it was like any other hard stick, but in Ozpin's hands it was as dangerous as a sword. The man had a mastery of aura akin to her own. When he passed it along that smooth surface, it could become the sharpest of blades, or the heaviest of mauls.

She felt the air around him crackle, felt his rage, but it was not enough. Ozpin still held back, he hadn't activated his weapon.

'Are you still going to go easy on me?' she teased.

There was a pause as the grey-haired man looked down, letting his shades cover his eyes.

A chuckle left his lips, a dark sound that seemed to ooze from the pores of his body.

'Well it is unfortunate Cinder, but I am a teacher now. I have to protect my students. If I were to go all out now, I might destroy half the school alongside you.'

'Oh? I didn't pick you for one to brag,' she replied.

'Well then I'm afraid you don't know me well enough.'

'But I do, Oz. I know you the best out of everyone.'

She began to approach him, letting her hips sway with each step.

'I know you for the thief you are.'

She saw the man's brow furrow, salivating at the troubled look that spread itself across his features.

'What are you talking about?'

Cinder put on her familiar smile, coming up beside the man. She leant close to his ear, whispering two words.

'The Grimmoire.'

The man's eyes widened. Cinder licked her lips, knowing she hit the mark.

'How do you know about…'

He stopped as the woman pressed a finger to his lips.

'It doesn't matter how I know, just that I do.'

She continued to pace around the man until she stood behind him, their backs facing each other.

'And just so you know, I plan on taking back what is mine.'

Ozpin's eyes widened further, finally realising the scope of her plan. He immediately dashed away, leaving the woman behind. He needed to get back to Beacon's Vault.

'Not so fast, Oz.'

A wall of flame burst forth from the ground, a scorching furnace of yellow that blistered the ground and stung the air. Ozpin stopped in his tracks, turning back to face the woman.

'I'm not going to let you go that easily,' she said, 'I attacked this place for a reason.'

She waved her hand behind her, towards he stockpile of dust that spilled out from the pulverised door of the vault.

'With all this dust I can keep you here for a good, long time, even if you activate that almighty weapon of yours.'

Ozpin glared at her from behind dark patches. They boiled with anger. Cinder could feel it ooze from his being like magma. When he spoke, it dripped with rage.

'You bloody bitch.'

Xxx

The man descended the last step, feet meeting the polished tile of the hall with a soft scuffle. He sniffed the air, smelling the lingering clutch of smoke and ash which had streamed in from the surface.

Behind him, the other two faunus reached the bottom of the staircase, their footfalls light and echoless.

'We are here, leader.'

The man remained silent. He sauntered forward, not a sound escaping when his feet brushed against the tile. Before him, the marble wall yawned, its arms latching onto both sides of the hallway. In its belly, was a thick metal door. It consisted of two large slabs, joined together by a golden, glowing chamber in the centre. It was an aura lock, tuned to open for one aura signature and one only.

The man paid no attention to it however. Locks were meant to be broken.

'Stay back,' he ordered, directing his voice to his two followers.

They obeyed without a sound, holding their positions by the staircase as their leader approached the door alone.

The man cracked his knuckles as he approached before letting his left hand drop to the hilt of his katana. He took a deep breath as he readied himself. The air in the room became heavy, time slowed until it felt like the drip of an old tap. The man's dark presence radiated out from his coat. It seemed to suck the light from around him. The ground began buckle and break, the pressure of his aura, crushing. With a grunt, he forced all his energy into his hand, running it through the sheathed blade.

Then he slashed, a shimmering white line tracing the blade for a split second before he sheathed it again. Even the faunus, with their sharp eyes, couldn't follow the sword.

Silence filled the room for moment, waiting with baited breath. Then, suddenly, the lock cracked, the slash splitting it clean into two pieces. They hit the floor with a heavy clang, releasing their grasp on the door. The two metal slabs slid apart, opening until they hit their holdings with an echoing boom.

The inside of the vault was dark. The man had to strain his eyes to see inside. At first glance, it seemed empty, but after his eyes adjusted, he could see it, a faint, red glow upon a canvas of darkness. The man let himself smile as he entered the room.

That day, was the day Adam Taurus acquired, The Grimmoire.

* * *

**Adam is out!**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I definitely enjoyed writing it and playing around with a few characters.**

**Please let me know if you liked it, everyone enjoys feedback. **

**Look forward to more!**

**Grey**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello Everyone!**

**Grey here with chapter 4. To all of you, whether you're picking this up for the first time now or have been eagerly awaiting this release, prepare yourselves.**

**You're in for one hell of a bumpy ride.**

* * *

'Ruby, get back!'

Yang blasted off after her, firing two rounds from her gauntlets. The explosion sent tile chips and shrapnel skittering across the courtyard, forcing the others to jump out of the way or brace with their weapons.

'I'm disappointed Red, didn't your teacher ever tell you not to attack in straight lines?'

Roman trained the end of his cane on the flash of red, firing a quick three quick rounds. Ruby reacted instantly, digging the edge of her Crescent Rose to her right, swinging away from the shots with the scythe as a pivot. As soon as she landed, she sprung forward again, firing more rounds in order to close in. Her scythe was two metres long, Roman was ten metres away. In a few seconds, she would reach him.

The suited man clicked his tongue. The scythe was a formidable weapon, it out ranged his own by over an arm's length. On top of that, the yellow one was closing in from the other direction. No doubt the other ones would also join the fray soon. There was no way he'd be able to handle all six of them.

He let a smile touch his face. But he had come prepared.

Yang saw the smile, the curl of his lips, and knew something was wrong. She'd sensed it when he first arrived. Why did Roman come alone? They had beaten him once before. Did he really think he could take all of them on this time? That single smirk confirmed her suspicions. She took a quick glance over at Ruby. She was closing in on the man, six metres, five, four…

Roman pointed his cane at the ground. With one blast, he propelled himself back. Ruby looked up, eyes following the sweep of orange hair as he flew back. She planted one foot on the ground, putting all her weight on it as she prepared to leap.

The suited man fired off another shot in the air, aimed at the ground before Ruby's feet. The girl stopped herself. Another step and she would flown straight into its trajectory. All she had to do was wait until it hit the tiles…

'Ruby!'

Yang flung her body to the right, firing rapidly with her gauntlets to change her trajectory. She had to get to her sister. The others watched, wide eyed, as the shot hit the ground. Time paused as the tiles lit up, a blinding flash of hot white and scorching orange.

_BOOM!_

The explosion rang out across the courtyard, dust and stone chips whizzing through the ash-filled air.

'Ruby! Yang!'

The others rushed forward towards the explosion site. A hissing plume of smoke had formed, crawling towards the scarlet sky.

Blake was the first to reach them, skidding to a stop a metre before the crater. Her ears twitched, trying to find them, to hear anything that would let her know they were okay.

She found it. A sputtering cough came from beyond the smoke. Instantly, Blake drew her Gambol Shroud, swinging it in a wide arc. The force cleaved through the ashen plume, sending it scurrying away into the recesses of the air.

She saw them. Yang had made it just in time, tackling Ruby and launching them both out of the way before the explosion hit. But it hadn't been perfect. Yang had thrown her aura around her body before the blast but some of the flames had stilled punched through. The tails of the blonde's uniform were torn and frayed, her stockings singed. Blake could see where the flames had grabbed her, leaving patches of skin blistered red and raw.

'Geez, that's why I tell you to keep your cool, sis.'

Yang groaned as she pushed herself up. The burns on her legs were light, but they had begun to sting.

'Fuck, that hurts.'

'Yang, I…'

There was a crack of boots against stone as Weiss flashed into view on the edge of Blake's vision.

'What are you doing Ruby! You almost got yourself killed!'

The little girl looked down. She couldn't bring herself to meet Weiss's cold gaze.

'I…'

'God, no matter how hard I try you guys just don't go down.'

The six all snapped their gaze back to Roman. He stood around twenty metres away, right hand resting on his cane whilst the other scratched the back of his head.

'You kids are weird after all.'

He flourished with his hands, bowing his head.

'Want to try again?' he said, inviting them with a grin.

Blake gritted her teeth, they couldn't attack recklessly. No doubt Roman had planted multiple traps around the area, buried under the ruptured earth. One wrong step could end everything.

'Blake,' Weiss whispered to her right.

The black-haired girl flicked her gaze at her, listening.

'He's got traps in the ground right? We just need to attack from the air.'

'How are we going to do that?' Blake shot back.

'I'll use my aura to make platforms, we'll attack together.'

'Are you sure you can? Won't you have to throw up glyphs for both you and me?'

'Technically, yes,' replied Weiss, 'but I can just not take them away like I usually do. I'll keep them up.'

Blake nodded, 'sounds good.'

'I'll join you guys.'

Pyrrha stepped forward, overhearing their whispering. 'Three is better than two.'

'Very well,' said Weiss, 'we'll go in three.'

The three girls counted in their heads. _One, two._

White circles appeared in the air above Roman, fanning out like a large flake of snow.

_Three!_

They all launched forward, leaping into the air.

Roman's eyes widened, brow furrowing. He wasn't expecting this. His eyes struggled to follow the movements, a vain effort to track three blurs of motion. Pyrrha attacked first, landing on a platform. She dropped to her knee, Miló in rifle form. In a second, she drew aim and fired off a barrage of shots at the man. Roman jumped back, firing the odd shot to propel him away from the volley. The shots tore out the earth, strafing towards the man. With a grunt he threw the edge of his cane sideways, blasting off a round so that he launched to the side, out of the way. Weiss struck as now, landing on an outer circle and firing off a flurry of blue projectiles. They pierced through the air, screaming towards their target. Roman fired off his cane whilst in the air, swinging his trajectory to avoid them. They hummed furiously as they flew on past to his left. But he hadn't escaped yet. Weiss narrowed her eyes as she focused. The shots suddenly bent their flight-paths, tailing the flailing ends of his suit.

At the same time, Blake closed in on the opposite side. She knew that Weiss could bend them, she'd seen her do it countless times during training. With the shots on one end and her sword on the other, they'd get him for sure.

Roman grunted, turning his body to meet Blake. He quickly used his left hand to grab the end of his cane, swapping his grip on the weapon. It met her blade in a clash of sparks, their momentum clashing in a jarring crash. He acted instantly, using the curved end to hook around the girl. With a strong pull, he yanked the girl around himself and into the path of the projectiles.

Blake's eyes widened as she realised what had happened. Gritting her teeth, she desperately lashed out at Roman with her leg, catching him on the ribs. The force of the kick combined with Roman's pull to send her flying towards another of Weiss's platforms. She landed on it with a sharp crack, wincing slightly as her bandaged side strained to hold the weight.

Meanwhile, Roman managed to snap his body back, just dodging Weiss's shots. He felt them buzz right by his nose and chest as the skimmed by, slamming into the ground behind him and exploding in a splash of stone. Pyrrha attacked at that moment, taking advantage of the man's blind spot as he was preoccupied with the shots. She flew forward, snapping her rifle into its spear form, its ravenous tip ripping through the air towards the white of his back.

Roman however, heard the click as Miló switched forms. He spun around, seeing the glowing emerald eyes screaming straight for him. He forced his body to react, swinging his cane to catch the blow.

Blake drew her arm back, sword in hand. Roman was distracted with Pyrrha, he had turned his back to her. All she had to do was throw Gambol Shroud and they would get him. Her foot shot out, she arched her back. Her side burst out in pain but she bit through it. Mustering strength from her entire body, she prepared to throw…

A sudden bang rocked the earth, a deafening, thunderous noise that caused everyone to freeze in place, flicking their heads back to the Great Court. The roaring sound blasted through the air, sending gusts of tumultuous wind hurling through the ashen haze before slowly dying down to a booming growl. The three girls stared wide eyed. The tall door to the Central Spire had been blown off its hinges the heavy slap of polished wood hurtling past and lodging itself a few hundred metres down the path to the fountain.

'What was that?' Weiss shouted, turning to face the spire. Smoke billowed out from the dark entrance, morphed by the wind into a demonic snarl. All of them in the yard squinted as they tried to get a better look, to see past the swirling blackness.

Then, they all felt it.

It was a crushing presence, a field of aura so dense, it forced everyone to their knees. It hit Weiss hard, pooling with her injured head to make it feel like it was splitting apart. Her hands flew to her temples as she keeled over, eyes screwed shut in pain. The glyphs in the air dissipated all at once, shattering into a white mist. Blake felt the circle underneath her disappear as she was thrown to the ground. Her body shook in horror. She knew this presence.

Her body shook and struggled as she tried to lift her head. She had to see, she had to be sure. Slowly, her head rose until she saw the swirling smoke gushing out of the spire. She strained her eyes, trying to get a closer look. Then, she saw him.

The white mask shone through the darkness, a single point of blinding light that pierced through her eyes and stared straight into her soul.

It was Adam.

Fear took over her, all she could see was the mask. It swelled up in size, towering over her with its crushing presence, forcing her down. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. All she could do was cower as man slowly walked forward, descending the spire steps with sharp cracks, the tails of his coat swaying with each step. Hanging from his belt, dangling on a chain, was a thick, black book.

'About time you showed up, that's the Grimmoire?'

It was Roman. He had gotten used to the man's overbearing presence during their few meetings enough to mostly ignore it. He still felt a little sluggish however, as if he were moving through water.

Adam turned his gaze to the man. His answered with one word, his voice soft and clear.

'Yes.'

'Well,' Roman adjusted his hat and patted of some of the ash from the breast of his suit, 'give it here. I'll pop it into the case and we can get out of here.'

'And why should I give it to you?'

Roman paused. 'Why? Because that was the plan. The Grimmoire is too dangerous to be left out in the open air. It attracts the Grimm, they'll soon swarm every inch of this place if you don't hand it over.'

'I don't care.'

'I said hand it over Adam!' Roman barked.

The man's eye-slits flashed red. 'And why should I listen to you?'

Adam took a step towards the man, the crack of his heels ringing out across the whole courtyard.

'Why should any of us listen to you, human?'

There was a blur of motion. The black-coated figure disappeared from view, appearing next to Roman almost instantly. Roman's eyes widened, his head wheeling around until he saw the mane of wild red hair right next to him. He didn't even have time to scream before a flash of white cut through the air, slicing through the smoke. A shower of red spurted out from his neck. Blake and the others saw him gargle and sputter as he tried to breath but it was no use. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he toppled over, splashing onto his own spreading puddle of blood.

Adam flicked the blood off his sword before sheathing it again. The students' eyes widened, disbelief filling their eyes. They had fought other people before, but they had never killed a person. They had never seen someone die in front of their eyes, to watch their body go limp as their lifeblood drained away.

Jaune was the first to react.

'What, what did you do to him? He was your ally, how could you.'

He was the most innocent. He had never fought anything before his time at Beacon. He had prepared himself little by little during his time here and with the help of Pyrrha, he'd learnt how to fight, how to defend himself, how to defeat the Grimm.

But not how to kill a person.

He screamed out in horror as his eyes passed over Roman's glazed, lifeless eyes.

'How could you? You monster!'

Adam turned his gaze to him, the dark slits of his mask glowing red as he saw the boy.

'Monster, did you say?'

He took a step towards the blonde boy, hand falling to the hilt of his sword.

'What right do you have to call us monsters?'

'Jaune! Run!' screamed Pyrrha.

She knew he couldn't. Adam's aura was too great, it held him in place. Jaune was still too weak, he wouldn't be able to move from there.

The horned figure approached him.

'I hate people like you the most,' he said, 'people who only talk, but cannot act.'

'Jaune!'

Pyrrha clenched her teeth, forcing her legs to move. Slowly, she pulled herself to her feet, Miló planted into the ground for support.

'Get away from him,' she warned.

Her grip on her spear tightened, knuckles turning white. She had to move, she had to reach him, to protect him. A ferocious roar left her mouth as she moved, forcing one wobbly foot in front of the other in an uneven beat that slowly picked up.

_I have to go, I have to move_.

She chanted those words to herself over and over again, forcing her body to move against fear. She knew she was outmatched, but she didn't care. All she thought about was protecting that blonde-haired dolt with the brightest smile she'd ever seen.

She reached Adam, bringing up her shield, preparing to thrust with the point of her spear. A shattering force met the shield, causing it to buckle and groan as it blocked Adam's strike. The force sent the girl flying backwards, skidding across the ground. When she opened her eyes, he stood there facing her, single palm outstretched.

She hadn't even seen him move, let alone react to his actions. Her fist gripped Miló more tightly, eyes narrowing as she focused. The man only had a sword, perhaps she could defeat him from range. There was a click as she switched it to rifle form, firing off a barrage of shots at the man. He flashed away from her vision, a blur of motion which rushed up to meet her. Her eyes widened, trying to revert Miló back to its melee form. She twisted her body as she did so, bringing her shield up to protect her.

Adam's hand shot out, the force blasting through the head of the metal and smashing it into fragments. His iron fingers found Pyrrha's neck, locking around her throat as he lifted her off her feet. There was a loud _clang_ as her weapon fell to the ground. The red-haired girl struggled, her legs flailing about in the air. His fingers tightened around her throat as her green eyes wavered with a frantic panic, her head tossing left and right as her body convulsed in an effort to escape.

'Pyrrha!'

The girl heard shouts, a scuffle of movement, but it all melted with the crackling of the embers. Her vision started to blur, colours swirling together into a vivid black…

Xxx

'Miss Nikos. We have an offer to make.'

Pyrrha remembered being approached by men in suits after her graduation ceremony. They knew about her decision to attend Beacon.

'We want you to do something whilst you're there, to protect someone.'

One of the men produced a picture, the girl glanced at it.

'It is your duty. Do this and your father's debts to the Arcs will be repaid…'

She was standing in the Great Court of Beacon. New students flooded the plaza, the hum of conversation buzzed in her ears. She looked around, trying to find that person. She spotted him, standing with some other girls on the other side of the fountain. He definitely matched the picture, sporting the same bright shade of hair and glassy blue eyes. All she had to do, was protect him. As long as she did that, then everything would be alright…

'Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each so...'

They were in the locker room, her, the blonde and Weiss. She had said that on purpose, to try and get on the same team as him. It would make things a lot easier. She could keep an eye on him, be by his side.

The boy switched his attentions over to her, unfazed. Didn't he know who she was? She listened as he tried to flirt with her, sounding as corny as a nacho.

Weiss came between them, 'Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?'

'Not in the slightest, snow angel.'

Pyrrha watched as Weiss began to rattle off her achievements one by one. The boy didn't seem to care, or perhaps he actually didn't know anything? She couldn't tell.

The girl stifled a giggle however, as he got excited over her sponsorship by Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes. That was something he did know.

The boy interested her. Ever since she had entered Sanctum, she had made a name for herself. Everyday was filled with people sucking up to her, trying to befriend an idol. As year by year went by, she had gotten used to it, fake friendships, fake bonds. But this boy was different. Perhaps he found her attractive? Perhaps he was desperate? She didn't know, but it didn't matter. What she did know, was that he was the first to hit on her so blatantly and so horribly, and for some reason that made her smile. Perhaps he genuinely wanted to be her friend not that of Pyrrha Nikos, the idol.

From that point in time on, he interested her. She watched him as he struggled, as he desperately strived for his dream. She wanted to protect him now, not because of some deal, but because she wanted to. She wanted to protect that smile, that innocent face that aspired to be so much more in the world. She wanted to help him achieve his dream, and be there with him when he succeeded.

Xxx

'Pyrrha!'

The girl's eyes snapped to the voice. It was Jaune. Adam's vice grip still clawed at her throat, preventing her from responding. She could only mouth the words she wanted to say.

_Jaune, stay strong._

She wanted to protect him, to protect his dream, even if it meant dying…

_'Wait…'_

_They were on the roof of the dorm. The stars sat on a purple blanket, frolicking around the moon. She turned around to see Jaune reaching out to her. However, when her eyes met his, those blue orbs shied away._

'_I know I don't deserve it after all that happened but, would you still be willing to help me, to help me… to help me become a better fighter?'_

_Pyrrha turned around, hiding the smile that touched her lips. Her heart had fluttered for a moment, though she would never tell him, not now at least._

Pyrrha's eyes shot open.

No. She wasn't willing to die. She wasn't going to leave him. She never wanted to leave him. With a grunt she twisted her whole body harder, trying to break free. She needed to break out of his grip, but it was impossible from his position. Her eyes quickly swept her surroundings, spotting Miló on the ground beside her. That was all she needed. Focusing, she gathered her aura, using her power of polarity to ram it's metal shaft towards the man.

Adam released his grip, spotting the movement and stepping back just in time to feel spear shoot by his nose. Pyrrha hit the ground with a thump, gasping for breath.

Jaune felt a load lift from his chest. He let his breath out in a shuddering sigh. 'Thank God…'

He was interrupted by a thundering crash. Everyone turned to see that Yang had managed to bring herself to her feet. She had slammed her fists into the ground, propelling herself to her feet. Her eye twitched as the burns on her legs stung, but she forced herself to ignore it.

'You keep your hands off my friends,' she growled.

Her gauntlets crashed to together, the blonde's eyes flaring up to a blazing red. Flames licked at the strands of her hair, dancing furiously in the ash.

With a thundering step, she blasted towards him, a golden flash that tore towards the masked man. Adam met the girl's punch with his sheathed blade, bending at the knees to take the force. It wasn't enough though, as Yang fired off an explosive round, the force slamming the gauntlet past his defence and into the hollow of his chest. He was sent flying back, flipping in the air once before his feet met the ground. Immediately he threw his weight forwards, shooting out his right hand so that it tore out the earth as he ground to a stop. He lifted his head, slits in his mask glinting.

'Pyrrha,' she said, 'I'll need to support me.'

Without even listening for her reply, she threw out a volley of shots. Adam dodged, flashing over to the right. He launched forward as soon as he landed, hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. Yang followed suit, blasting forward with a roar in a golden streak of colour. They met with a sickening crunch, the shockwave shaking the earth and ripping out the tiles. Yang fired a point blank shot, aimed at the mask. The round exploded in a clap of smoke, masking her vision. The blonde strained her eyes as she tried to find him, but she felt him before she saw him.

The man's arm shot out from the smoke, iron grip latching onto her arm. His mask glowed an angry red.

'Yang!' Pyrrha surged forward, regaining her breath. She had used her powers to retrieve Miló and now advanced on the two. She closed the distance in a second, ramming her spear point forward, trained straight for the man's chest. Adam reacted, sweeping out with his leg on the earth, striking up a curtain of stone. They deflected Pyrrha's blade, missing him by an inch. He skipped back, hurling Yang towards the fountain. The blonde threw up her aura as she met it, blasting straight through the stone. The blonde hit the ground in a shower of dust and launched herself straight back into the fray, emptying rounds to build up speed.

Her fist screamed towards Adam, a ball of golden flame that grinned demonically. The man sidestepped the blow, feeling the heat race on past. Pyrrha however, rushed on forward, shield held out in front of her. She braced as Yang slammed into the metal, groaning as she took the impact and threw it right back. The blonde roared as she bounced back at Adam, launching her fist towards the man's masked face.

It connected, the gauntlet smashing through the mask and sending the man hurtling backwards. The others let out a cheer. It had been a solid blow.

Ruby felt her jaw hang open. She knew that her sister was strong, but not this strong. Watching her now, she seemed like a completely different person. Her eyes were narrowed and calm, her sole focus on the black figure who stood in her way. Blake was just as surprised. A hope had begun to fill her heart. With her perhaps, they could beat him. Perhaps Yang could defeat him and set the White Fang straight again. Watching the streak of yellow flying across the battlefield, she had begun to believe that.

'Interesting.'

The words cut through her thoughts like cold steel. Blake snapped her gaze back to where Adam had landed. A white line swiped through the air, slicing through the cloud of dust that had built up and sweeping it aside.

A part of his mask had crumbled away, revealing one glowing, red eye.

'I'll have to treat you seriously.'

He bent his body forward, chanting as he gathered his energy. Blake felt an enormous pressure building as he gathered his aura. He seemed to suck the colour out of the air around him, the energy swirling around his body until the ground buckled.

Blake had seen this before. He rarely used this power, but when he did, he left nothing but destruction in his wake.

'Yang! Be careful,' she managed to croak.

The blonde didn't seem to hear. She switched out her magazines before slamming her fists together again. With a roar, she charged forward, emptying round after round to reach a blistering speed. Adam filled her sights, her fist sought blood.

The man however, stood his ground. He straightened his stance, staring down the girl as she closed in.

_ Boom!_

The collision threw up dust and ash in a firework explosion of black and grey. When it settled, her eyes widened. Adam stood unharmed. He had caught her fist, stopping it with one hand.

'How…'

'Get back Yang!'

Pyrrha rained shots towards the man, tearing up the ground around him. Yang pulled back frantically, trying to break free from Adam's grip. But he wouldn't let go.

The man's vice clamped down tighter, the metal of Ember Celica groaning as it began to crack. The blonde roared as she strained the muscles in her arm, yanking back as hard as she could. It wasn't enough. She watched in wide-eyed horror as her gauntlet shattered, the man's grip crunching down and crushing her hand.

Yang howled out in pain, flying back as her broken fingers were ripped from her. Adam however, ignored her. He flew past her in a blur of motion, screaming towards Pyrrha who stood in the back. She didn't even have time to react before the man struck out with his foot, driving it like a hammer down on the girl's upper chest. All they heard was a sickening crunch as the redhead's body met the ground, the force ramming through her upper ribs and crushing her lungs. He stood here for a second, the dust settling, before he stepped back, lifting his bloody shoe from the mangled body.

The words wouldn't come to Blake's mouth. It had been so sudden. She could only stare in horror as the reality hit her. Pyrrha was dead.

'What did you do!' Yang howled out in grief as she watched.

With a desperate cry she threw herself at Adam, cocking her remaining fist back.

All she saw was a white flash trace along her body before she knew it was all over. She took one more awkward step before she fell to the floor, in two pieces.

Blake shook her head in denial.

'No.'

All she could see was red, the crimson mess of Pyrrha's body and the pool of blood that oozed from Yang's. Silence rushed in from all sides, consuming them. It was only scratched, by the odd sputtering of Pyrrha as she choked on her own life fluids. Adam stood amongst the ash and flames, his blade dripping with blood, just like her dream. The girl felt dizzy. Her body gave way as the world spun away from her, mixing the colours into a vortex of shock and grief. Immediately, she felt herself hurl on the scarred tiling in front of her. Jaune followed soon after.

Ruby was still shaking her head.

'Sis?' she grabbed her head, eyes widening in sickening horror 'Yang!'

She broke out in a haunting wail as her body convulsed in heaving sobs.

'No, Yang…' she whimpered.

Adam ignored them. With slow steps he began to walk off past the plaza and down the long path away from Beacon. When he passed Blake however, he muttered a few words.

'Have you learned, Blake? If you choose to associate with humans, you'll only be hurt.'

Blake's eyes shot open, her brow twisting in rage. She turned to face the man with a feral expression.

'All because of you Adam. This is all because of you.'

She gritted her teeth, sucking in her breath before screaming out at the top of her lungs.

'**I'LL KILL YOU ADAM!'**

Her cry rang through the courtyard, a pained vow of revenge.

The man paused, before uttering a grinding response.

'You can try, but I won't die until my species gets the justice it deserves.'

He crouched down by the girl, staring into her eyes with his one red eye.

'Perhaps then I should kill you too? Save myself the trouble later.'

'No you won't.'

Adam flicked his gaze up to where the voice had come from. His eye narrowed as he saw him, the green suit swaying in the wind, the grey locks of hair draped over his dark face.

'Ozpin.'

The headmaster reached the courtyard, his suit torn and his body bruised, but he paid it no attention. His piercing gaze saw the mangled bodies of Yang and Pyrrha, face darkening as he found their lifeless eyes.

'What have you done to my students…'

Adam straightened himself, 'It seems that even Cinder couldn't hold you, in the end…'

'I don't fucking care! What did you do to my students you fucking cur!'

The man's bark cracked like thunder, ringing out through the entire campus.

Adam replied in a deep growl. 'It is exactly as you see,' he said, 'I killed them.'

Ozpin disappeared from his spot, bursting into existence a few inches from the faunus's face. With a roar he slammed the end of his cane down, just missing the man as he skipped away. It met the ground with a crack of lightning, blasting out a large fissure which shot forward and cleaved the fountain in two.

Adam dashed back, bracing himself against the barrage of shrapnel. He couldn't fight Ozpin, not in his current condition. He had used a little too much aura in his effort to break the vault and the grey-haired demon was someone that he had to take on at full strength to even stand a chance. He straightened his back, grabbing the book which hung from his hip by the chain, the Grimmoire.

He'd heard about its power from Cinder. Whilst it was still very much dormant, it should still have enough power to let him escape Ozpin's wrath for now. He saw the man's eyes widen as the Grimmoire entered his view, saw his legs tense as he prepared to charge.

'Not so fast,' said Adam, 'even now the Grimm feel the presence of the Grimmoire. They'll close in on the campus in a few minutes, destroying everything and everyone, if no one stops them.'

There was no way the man could kill him in a few minutes, he would have to choose between his treasure or his students. But Adam knew Ozpin would prioritise his students. They were perhaps the only weakness the man still had. He watched as the demon lowered his head, his eyes turning solemn as he stood, unmoving.

'I will hunt you down, cur. Mark my words.'

Adam grunted as he turned away from the man. 'I'll be waiting, then.'

With kick of his legs he hurtled off into the distance, disappearing down the path and over the mountains. Within a minute, the mountains had hidden him.

Ozpin took a shuddering breath, feeling the hot air blow across his face. He had failed, his school was in ruins, his treasure stolen and his precious students had been slaughtered. It was a complete defeat.

He clenched his fist, his nails biting into his hands so hard that they drew blood. A tear trailed down his muddied face as he looked to the grey sky.

'I'm sorry Summer… I failed to protect your dream.'

Gritting his teeth, he straightened himself. The grip on his cane tightened, knuckles turning white as she shook with an uncontrollable rage. He would find Adam one day, he would hunt him down and put him down mercilessly like the animal he was. But he couldn't do that now. A howl rung out from the mountains followed by the heavy beat of wings. The Grimm approached, Ozpin spotting three large Nevermores and several Alpha Ursi charging from the south forest followed by countless others that swarmed the landscape, melding together into a sea of black. The man ran his aura through his cane so viciously that it crackled and whipped the air. Right now, the only thing he could do, was slaughter every last bloody Grimm which dared to step foot in his home.

Blake could only watch with hollow eyes as the man fought. Some would later sing of his ferocity and sheer power but today, under that dark sky, all she could feel was his anguish.

* * *

**How was that?**

**We now near the end of Act I. Expect a whole lot more pain as we get into the body of the story, Heheheh...**

**As always, please leave a review if you liked/disliked it, I love reading them and it gives me so much motivation.**

**See you soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello Everyone!**

**I know it's been a while. Uni exams are the worst huh? Hopefully I can work myself into a regular schedule again.**

**But regardless, here's the long-awaited, much-anticipated wrap up to Act I!**

* * *

'Ruby! It's time for the funeral.'

Weiss banged her fist against the heavy dorm door. Blake leant against the wall beside her, arms folded and eyes closed. The last few days had gone by in a blur. Everyone had been hit by all the shock in one huge blow after the attack, leaving them reeling through the days that followed. Each and every person was hurting, and they were all dealing with it, some moving on and some struggling.

'Ruby, I'm warning you! You've been cooped up in there for the last few days. If that's not immature and conceited, then I don't what is!'

'Weiss, you're getting too loud…' said Blake.

The girl whisked her head around to glare at her, eyes furious.

'Don't you tell me not to be loud. I'm here trying to help our friend, our _leader, _and you're telling me that I'm too loud? You should be helping me!'

Her hands shot to her hips as she roared on.

'And let's talk about _you_! You've just been silent, and secretive, and cold! I bet you're thinking everything's all right just because only one of your faunus race died! If that's not it then I can't possibly fathom how you can be so calm!'

'Calm?'

Blake's voice trembled as she spoke that word. She clenched a fist as she shot back.

'How can you think I'm calm? Just because I don't talk? Just because I'm not bawling my eyes out in a dark corner or shouting at everyone who isn't? I'm taking this just as hard as everyone else Weiss, perhaps even harder!'

She slammed her foot against the ground, her voice raising to a volume that she had never required before.

'Yang is dead Weiss! Pyrrha is too, alongside so many others! I knew them Weiss! I fought alongside them, laughed with them! How could anyone not feel anything?'

Her voice rushed through the empty corridors, filling every room before echoing away into the distance. The girl panted heavily, the silence pressing down on her. Weiss stared at her, eyes wide. Blake's pained cry had caught her breath and left her with her mouth open.

'And you know what, Weiss? You know what the worst thing is?'

She dug her eyes straight into Weiss's two, blue-grey eyes, like two rippling ponds which quivered.

'I knew the man who did it.'

It was as if a rope had snapped, letting the mix of emotion and silence rush on by and flood the space. The stillness, sluggish and thick, hung taut between them. Not even the air could move, struggling like a fly in a spider's web.

'What are you girls doing?'

The web wobbled. Ren came around the corner, Nora right beside him. He wore a black patch over his right eye, the orb having lost its light in the attack. The strike against his temple had been too deep, too hard. He had lost its sight forever. However, the boy didn't seem to have let it affect him, taking it in his stride. Blake had seen him multiple times after the attack helping out, whether it be to move supplies or clear the paths, to comforting those in grief.

Nora was still her usual self, having seemingly recovered from her grief-stricken state during the attack, however Blake could feel something very off about the girl.

'Hello guys! Why is everyone just standing here? We have a funeral to go to! You wouldn't want big sister Yang and Pyrrha, looking on from their clouds, to catch you missing their funerals? Do you?'

'Is Nora okay?' asked Weiss.

Her face was slightly wrinkled, a certain disgust filling her eyes. They had all kind of admired how Nora was always so cheerful before, but now it had started to tip towards being creepy.

'Yeah, she is,' Ren replied.

He turned to the bouncy girl, whispering by her ear.

'Hey, can you help me fetch Jaune from his room?'

'Sure thing! Right on it boss! I'll be fast like the tiger- no the cheetah!' She threw a hard, rough salute before rushing away, disappearing around the corridor in a flash.

Ren waited until the last strand of orange hair whiffed past the wooden beam before turning back to the girls. He waited a little more before speaking.

'It's a long story. I know might be a little off-putting to you at a time like this but for her sake, can you just bear with it?'

The two girls nodded slowly, in compliance. Ren's face told them that he'd say no more on the matter. He brushed on past them, reaching the door to their dorm.

'Is Ruby not coming out?'

Weiss shot back a response.

'No she isn't, she's just being selfish and inconsiderate.'

'She isn't going to come out like that.'

The black haired boy leant his head against the dark wood. He let a moment of silence pass before addressing Ruby, muttering softly.

'I know you're stronger than this Ruby,' he said.

Silence.

Ren tried again, 'You know that sulking won't bring them back, and coming out here won't do that either. But you know Ruby, you have so many people here for you.'

'Go away.'

Blake let shock hold her for a second, not because Ren got a response, but by how frail it was.

'Ruby…' she murmured, lip quivering.

It pained her, knowing that she could do nothing. She never had a way with words, but she had always wished she had. Perhaps then, she could have coaxed Ruby out, she could have spoken out for the faunus, maybe she could have even stopped Adam from starting all this.

'Ruby, will you let me in?' Ren asked.

There was no response, at least verbally. Blake thought she heard the smallest of scuffles, as if the little girl had shaken her head.

'I'm coming in Ruby,' said Ren, not waiting for a response.

'Wait, are you sure you should be…'

Ren ignored Blake as he moved. He gently channelled his aura into the palm of his hand, pressing it against the knob of the door and letting the flow of energy work to dislocate the lock. Slowly, the wooden frame ground open, letting out a sour breath of air and the darkness spill out.

He did everything slowly, prying open the door bit by bit, the crack of light through the gap widening ever so slowly. Blake peered curiously over the boy's shoulder, her golden eyes piercing straight into the inky blackness within. Ren shuffled on into the room, his shoulders passing into the dark portal before the emerald tails of his coat followed.

'Ruby…'

He had found her in an instant, curled up the cold foot of Yang's bed.

'Go away…' she said weakly, shying away from the light.

'Have you eaten recently?' Ren replied, ignoring her.

'I said go away!'

'Ruby, listen.'

He took up position beside her, kneeling so that his tall frame was able to bring its head level with hers.

'I know you don't want to go, but no matter how much you tell yourself otherwise, Yang is dead, and that is the truth.'

'Ren, aren't you being a little too…' said Blake.

The boy shot a steely glare towards her, drying up her words.

'I know you don't want to face that, going to the funeral is too hard.'

He placed a warm hand on her shoulder, trying to get the girl to open up to him.

'But, the funeral is for everyone who lost their lives in the attack, and more importantly, everyone is dealing with their deaths. We go to all mourn together, and remember that we do not have to deal with this alone.'

He offered his other hand, still scratched and blistered in spots from the attack, to Ruby.

'Come on, everyone is waiting.'

There was silence as everyone eyes Ruby, waiting for her to move. Blake's heart could only tighten when she saw the girl in that state and, when she glanced in Weiss's direction, she knew she felt the same.

Therefore they felt a load come off their shoulder when Ruby, letting out a sob, took Ren's hand and let herself be pulled to her feet.

'Let's go,' he said as he escorted her out, the girl's thin legs wobbly as she stumbled forward.

They all moved in silence, their shoes scuffling against the rough and raw woodwork as they made their way through the dorms and towards the main hall. Somewhere along the way, Nora joined up with them, a grim-faced and Jaune following behind, eyes narrowed behind dark, tired patches. The cheerful boy had disappeared, hid himself away, leaving behind nothing but a cold husk like the dying ashes of a fire. But that was all Blake would remember of that walk, that and the crushing silence.

Xxx

_I remember that day clearly. The smell of ash in the halls, the grief that stank the air and the cold death that laced the walls. However, more than that, I remember it because it was the day everything changed. _

_ The funeral droned on for what seemed like an eternity. Ozpin took the stage, read out the name of every single person who perished on Beacon soil. He looked as he usually did, emotionless, his face a mask. But to me, I could tell. He took it harder than anyone. His hands would shake slightly every few names, his voice would wobble. I could only imagine how it must have felt going that that list, each name hitting harder and harder, threatening to break you; how it must have felt to stand up on that stage and take the accusing glares of the grief-stricken families and friends of the deceased. Never before, had I admired someone's character so much._

_ The names went on for an eternity, the ceremony trudged on until each photo and coffin had a wreath before it and a good smattering of tears. As for when Yang's and Pryhha's names came up, I gave some of my own._

_ When the horrid ceremony was about to finish, Ozpin hit us with the last punch. Beacon would be closed, though I guess I had expected it to some degree. The school was in ruins, that alone should have been enough but there was another thing. Ozpin had lost the trust of the parents. They would have pulled their students out regardless and slotted them into other establishments._

_ And so that was how we all parted ways._

_ Weiss's parents had sent people to pick her up. They turned up in their suits and shades, saying only few words before escorting the pale lady out. It seemed that the Schnee family would keep her under the company's watchful eye, believing no more in others' security. They would protect their legacy themselves._

_ Qrow came along and took Ruby. I have only met him once but the image of his long cloak and tall, muscular frame as he prowled through the crowd still hasn't left me. He had said only a few words to us as he left that day but the darkness that painted his face spoke more than he knew._

_ I have no idea where Ren and Nora went. They had said their goodbyes after the funeral, slipping out amongst the crowd before disappearing into distance like metal sinking into the depths of the sea._

_ Jaune and I were the only ones left for a while, but that's all it was, a fleeting while. He would soon leave like all the others, with a deep-set expression and in silence. I still remember the way he clenched his fists as he set off down the courtyard and out of sight._

_ I had stayed for a little while longer, walking amongst the coffins and smiling pictures. It was a unique experience, moving amongst the dead, I couldn't have been any quieter even if I tried. I wandered for a good time, after all I had nowhere to go. It was after an hour or so that I found him._

_ Ozpin sat with his back propped up against a coffin. As I neared, I wrinkled my nose. The air stank of smoke. I glanced over at the picture atop the coffin, recognising it instantly._

_It was Glynda._

_ I saw the source of the smell straight after. A thin pipe lay tangled up in his fingers, a lazy stream of smoke swirling from the open end. That was when I found out that Ozpin smoked, or at least, he had. He had noticed me approaching of course, his grinding voice filling the air between us._

_ 'I see we both have nowhere to go,' he had muttered without looking._

_I moved to take a seat on the other side of the coffin, lowering myself quietly to the floor and resting my back against the cool, glossy surface._

'_I guess I'm just a stray now huh?' I had said._

_I remember hearing the man take a puff from his pipe, breathing out a blackened stream of smoke. We sat like that for a while, Ozpin taking long draughts every once in a while whilst I counted them. The hall had darkened, the sun outside brushing against the tips of the distant mountains._

_ 'Do you want to kill him?'_

_Ozpin had suddenly asked that question but I knew my answer, I had known for a long time._

'_Yes.'_

_He took one last long puff, exhaling deeply as the stream dissipated into the sunset._

'_Well, then would you like to come with me, stray?' he said._

* * *

_**~Post-mortem~**_

_**Yang: Hello! Yang here!**_

_**Pyrrha: And Pyrrha!**_

_**Yang: You may be wondering why we're here? Well, that is because your author Grey decided that killing us off in Act One might have been a little harsh.**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah, I remember him saying that I would get at least six chapters when I signed up for this…**_

_**Yang: He said that to you too?**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah. I've got a lot more other works to star in. I wouldn't have agreed if I knew that I'd be necked in the opening act.**_

_**Grey: Guys, can you just get on with it? The readers are actually expecting something in this section…**_

_**Yang: Jeez, it's always about the readers Grey. Readers that, readers this. I had to deal with burns, and cuts and all sorts of nastiness in your work.**_

_**Grey: Hey, at least I didn't put you in a homosexual relationship with a faunus, like most of the others' stories.**_

_**Pyrrha: You know I never got why that got so popular.**_

_**Yang: Me neither, it kinda just happened.**_

_**Grey: It's a guy thing, I think… Anyways, let's just move on, shall we? I promise you I'll let you guys go after this is done.**_

_**Yang: Fine… Well everyone, welcome to the Post-mortem, where we bring back all of the characters that Grey had brutally murdered during the story to give their thoughts on what's happening!**_

_**Pyrrha & Grey: *claps***_

_**Grey: Well, first things first, let's talk about the plot. What do you guys think so far?**_

_**Yang: Well, things escalated quickly.**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah, I mean we were all just sitting in the courtyard and then BAM! missile strike out of nowhere.**_

_**Grey: I thought I foreshadowed that pretty well.**_

_**Yang: Yeah, but it was like the second chapter! You should still have been introducing everyone. You never even told the readers what my hair smelled like and the fact that I was wearing new shoes!**_

_**Grey: Yeah, I assumed that most people who read a fanfiction would at least know what the main characters looked like and what they wore. And besides, you got new shoes?**_

_**Yang: You didn't notice?**_

_**Pyrrha: Probably because he killed you off so fast…**_

_**Grey: Anyways, what did you guys think of the setting, the atmosphere.**_

_**Yang: I'm still wondering if all the ash got cleared away.**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah I know right, it was practically everywhere. In the courtyard, the fountain, the dorms.**_

_**Yang: Yeah, I don't get why Grey was so caught up on that.**_

_**Pyrrha: Probably just a phase…**_

_**Grey: Wow you guys are bitchy today, must be that time of the month eh? Ba-dum-tch!**_

_***Silence***_

_**Grey: Ahem, moving on, what do you guys think will happen in Act Two?**_

_**Yang: I dunno, kill some more people.**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah.**_

_**Grey: Hey, I don't just kill for fun, I use death for meaning.**_

_**Pyrrha: I don't know, you got pretty carried away in describing how we died.**_

_**Grey: Have to be descriptive.**_

_**Pyrrha: I think there were plenty of other places that needed description.**_

_**Grey: Like what?**_

_**Yang: Like the ash! Oh, Pyrrha, high-five!**_

_**Yang & Pyrrha: *high-fives***_

_**Grey: *sighs* Any other predictions?**_

_**Pyrrha: I want to know where Jaune went off to. He kind of just disappeared.**_

_**Yang: Of course you do, Pyrrha.**_

_**Pyrrha: I don't mean it like that! I mean, who doesn't want to know, he kind of just rides into the sunset.**_

_**Yang: Woah, now that I think about it, that is kinda cliché…**_

_**Grey: Well you got Ren and Nora both leaving on their own as well. What about them?**_

_**Yang: I think you just got lazy thinking of something they're going to do in the time-skip so you decided to leave that part out instead.**_

_**Pyrrha: I think you really made Nora scary. I don't think I'll ever look at her quite the same way again.**_

_**Grey: Yeah, I wanted to take each of the characters in a new direction and I thought I had a good idea with Nora.**_

_**Yang: Yeah, just make sure you don't mess it up and make her some psychopath.**_

_**Pyrrha: That's probably going to end up happening. Grey has been making a lot of these types of characters ever since he finished Mirai Nikki.**_

_**Grey: Ahhh, great show… Well, time's almost up guys, any last comments before we leave?**_

_**Yang: Hey, now I think about it, you never even mentioned what Qrow looked like!**_

_**Grey: It's not like I know what Monty et al have in mind for him. I didn't feel confident in filling in his image.**_

_**Pyrrha: You can't leave him like that forever…**_

_**Grey: Watch me.**_

_**Yang: Ooohh! What about that thing between Ozpin and Glynda?**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah, were they going out or something?**_

_**Yang: I hadn't heard of anything like that. I fangirled a little when I read that part, they would be so cute together!**_

_**Pyrrha: Too bad Grey put his foot down on that.**_

_**Grey: Yeah, and now we'll never know. What about Ozpin smoking, any thoughts on that?**_

_**Yang: Cliché, I've seen that over a hundred times in books. Some badass gives up smoking for his lover and picks it back up when she dies.**_

_**Grey: But it suits him right?**_

_**Pyrrha: I guess?**_

_**Grey: Wow, you guys are great you know that?**_

_**Yang: Says the person who killed us off in the first act…**_

_**Grey: Are you guys really that bothered by it-**_

_***Hard banging sounds***_

_**Yang: What is that?**_

_**Pyrrha: Is it coming from the door?**_

_**Yang: Yeah, I think I hear someone shouting.**_

_**Grey: Who could it be… Oh wait. *eyes widen, as if remembering something important.* It's probably just the wind actually.**_

_**Voice: Hey, I know you guys are in there! Don't you go forgetting me you ungrateful author! I died as well! I know you guys are having your little 'Post-mortem' corner! I demand to be included!**_

_**Pyrrha: Is that Roman?**_

_**Yang: Yeah, now I think about it, he died too. Did you forget about him Grey?**_

_**Grey: Nah, he probably just didn't get the memo.**_

_**Yang: He forgot didn't he?**_

_**Pyrrha: Yeah, probably.**_

_**Roman: *Bangs fists against door* When are you guys going to let me in?**_

_**Grey: Well I guess that's time folks. Time to wrap up this first episode of the Post-mortem! Be sure to tune in in the future as From Shadows rolls into Act Two!**_

_***Sparse clapping sound effect as lights dim***_

_**Grey: Hey, you guys forgot about him too.**_

_**Yang: Yeah, not really a memorable character is he?**_

_**Pyrrha: *nods***_

_**Roman: Hey I can hear you guys! *more banging* Can you let me in? *bang bang* Please?**_

* * *

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed all that. I certainly enjoyed writing that last part. I'm pretty sure Yang and Pyrrha enjoyed themselves as well. They certainly got carried away hahaha...**

**Anyways, as always, please leave a review if you liked/disliked it!**

**Thanks for Reading!**

**Grey**


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